The Coordinating Director of NAQS, Dr Vincent Isegbe said, “The substance in question (sniper) is an organophosphate called 2,2-dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate which is dangerous to health if misapplied as a pesticide.

Beans traders aired their opinions on the alleged news of sniper when the Multimedia team of NAN visited the market.

One of the traders, Mr Chigozie Okoye, said his customers had asked questions since the news of sniper as preservative went viral but it had not really affected his sales.

“People come and ask questions that they are scared of buying beans these days with the news they have heard and different other things.

“But I do not think it has really affected a lot.

“It has not really affected a lot.

“But they buy it in lesser quantities now because everybody is waiting to know what will happen,” Okoye said.

On his part, Mr Isaac Ifeanyi said some customers are sceptical about purchasing beans but the integrity of the sellers overtime have kept them coming.

“We have gotten a lot of complaints about the sniper stuff.

“Actually, it has not really affected sales because we preserve our own (beans) very well.

“We have our customers and they still come.

“We do not really have complaints about the news itself.

“It just borders on integrity; they want to know and be sure that we are not doing the same thing they hear in the news.

“We just make sure we assure them that everything is ok,’’ Ifeanyi said.

Another trader, Malam Adamu Bello, also said the allegations were lies, aimed at ruining the traders’ business.

“One of my customers told me he heard some news on radio about the use of sniper as preservatives in beans but it is not true.

“This is not true; they spread this news to ruin our trade.

“The Malams’ pushing wheelbarrow sell at a cheaper rate than those who own shops.

“Those in the shops sell costlier but those who hawk with wheelbarrows sell lesser.

“They do it to ruin the hawkers’ sale but I insist the news is not true.

“I can chew our beans raw without fear because there is nothing inside.

“It is a lie; such preservatives are not used in our beans.

“My sales have not dropped despite the news, I still make the same sales,” Bello said.